Sunday, December 02, 2007

No matter where you are, you probably know about the snow storm that hit the Midwest this weekend. We got smacked with the more gentle aspects of the snow. We received eight inches of snow and almost half an inch of freezing rain. Luckily, we skipped the whole "ice storm" scenario and were instead given a winter wonderland.

Our economy here in Wausau, Wisconsin is not dependent on the snow, though we do have a ski hill (they can make their own snow). My parents live in a "tourist town" that is reliant on getting snow before Christmas, however. The past few years, they haven't, and it's made a difference. I'm hoping this foot of snow will open up the snowmobile trails soon.

That's just one reason I'm not that upset about the snow. Another is I think it's pretty. And pretty things make me happy.

I was also looking forward to getting some exercise, and what could be better than shoveling eight inches of heavy, rain-soaked snow? Not much. I huffed and I puffed and I shoveled that darn sidewalk.

I wasn't with Ben and Chris went they went outside this afternoon. Chris had a cute tale to tell, though. On his own, without any instruction, our son gathered some snow into a ball and threw it. That's something I had to teach my Tucson-native husband how to do when he moved here. Ben knew instinctively what all that fluffy cold stuff was for. Snowball fights.

Isn't it lovely?

*******

On a more solemn note, our family joins my sister as we all grieve the loss of her pregnancy. It's not my story, so I'm not going to tell it. I'll just say that I'm very sad, and my heart is with my sister and her husband. I've been counting my blessings all weekend long.